Redistricting proposal would have split Spring Branch

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, July 17, 2001

The Houston City Council voted down a redistricting amendment June 13 that would have split the Spring Branch neighborhood into two districts.

The Council voted down a proposal by Councilmembers Carol Mims Galloway, Gabriel Vasquez and John Castillo to move five voting precincts in District A to neighboring District H.

"District A celebrated a victory with the council's rejection of a redistricting measure that would have split the Spring Branch neighborhood," District A Councilman Bruce Tatro said.

Some Spring Branch residents learned of the proposal through e-mail, on the Internet and a June 7 public meeting at which Tatro addressed the redistricting issue.

Several district A residents appeared before Council and voiced opposition to the proposed split and council in turn voted the amendment down at their June 13 meeting.

Council used data from the 2000 census to map out its plan of attack for the nine districts and equalize the representation in the districts.

Bert Keller, District G, had a quota nearing 227,000 population that covered areas bordered by the Houston City Limits to the west, the Katy Freeway to the north, Memorial Park to the east, and the Richmond area to the south.

Keller was not willing to give up the Memorial Park area, which would have landed in District A Councilman Bruce Tatro's hands.

Keller got his wish and retained the Memorial area and added the Rice Military neighborhood previously split between Keller and councilman Vasquez.

In addition to the Rice Military expansion, Keller also received the Briar Meadow area, located south of Hillcroft and Westheimer, previously part of council member Mark Goldberg's District C.

"I was very happy to pick up this area," Keller said. "I went to school at Lee High School and I'm glad I will get to represent that neighborhood."

District A picked up voting precinct 95 on the south side of the Katy Freeway north of Buffalo Bayou near Highway 6.

Precinct 95 includes Barker's Landing, Memorial Thicket and Sweetwood subdivisions. Children in Precinct 95 attend schools in the Katy Independent School District.

District A now includes all of Spring Branch ISD and parts of Houston and Aldine ISDs as well.